Automatic fan n ing-mill



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,.

' G. J. SOHLOSSER.

AUTOMATIC FANNING MILL No. 441,331. Patented Nov. 25, 1 890.

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(No Model.)

G. J. SCHLOSSER. AUTOMATIC PANNING MILL.

N0. 441.331v Patented Nov. 25, 1890.,

ing grain impinges.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lrEORGE J. SOHLOSSER, OF LEADVILLE, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC FANNlNG-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,331, dated November25, 1890.

Application filed May 13,1890. Serial No. 351,602. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. SoHLossER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Leadville, in the county of Lake and State of Colorado, havein vented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fanning-Mills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to fanning-mills for grain-separatingpurposes; and my object is to produce a device in which the fanningapparatus is actuated by the weight ofthe grain passing through themachine.

lVith this end in View my invention consists in the peculiarconstruction and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter,and pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sideelevation of my complete structure; Fig. 2, a central section; Fig. 3, afront view, and Fig. at a rear view.

The frame-work consists of the main uprights or corner-posts A, the endcross-pieces B, and side bars 0, connecting said posts, and theintermediate uprights orposts A, erected between the side bars C. Panels13 close the sides of the structure, while the rear of the same isprovided with a door 0, hinged to one of the corner-posts and held inclosed adj ustment by a suitable button 0 on the opposite post. Thefront is left entirely open.

The hopper D is mounted between and secured to the upper ends of themain uprights A, and is provided with an opening d and a sliding cut-offplate E, provided with a similar registering opening e and arranged toeither out 01f or let flow the supply of grain. Beneath this hopper andbetween the upper side bars 0 is mounted a large wheel F on a revolvingshaft G, having hearings in boxes g, secured to the uppersurfaces ofsaid side bars directly over the intermediate posts A, thus bringing therear portion of the wheel beneath the opening in the hopper and itslower half below the side bars and between the panels. This wheel F ismade like a water-wheel, having high flanges f and slanting buckets fsecured across between them, on which the fall- A screen J is placedbehind the wheel F and slides on and is supported by the inclined stripsor Ways H, secured to the side walls of the outside casing,

and said screen is confined in proper position by the pins h and alsoprevented from sliding down too far by the fiange 'flurned down at itsupper end and arranged to bear against the ends of the strips. Its lowerend rests upon a plate K, bearing upon the lower ends of the strips Hand forming part of a casing L, surrounding the rotary fan. Thus it isapparent that the screen is readily removable, and a coarse one can beremoved for fine, and vice versa. A similar screen I is arranged beneaththe front of the wheel and slants down toward the first screen, anopening Q being left, however, between them for the passage of thegrain. This screen also slides upon strips or ways J, and is thusremovable in the same manner as the first one.

The rotary fan consists of a shaft M, mounted in boxes m on the oppositesides of the lower side bars, and wings or blades N projecting radiallytherefrom, and this fan is surrounded by a cylindrical casing L,consisting of the circular side pieces 0, secured to the inside walls ofthe frame at the juncture of the lowerside bars and the intermediateposts A, and the curving plate or cylinder P, extending around the edgesof the side or end pieces 0, a slot or opening Q being left directly infront of the rotary fan, and the plate above said opening is turned backto form the portion K, previously mentioned.

A slide V is provided for regulating the size of the opening Q. A chuteR leads from the opening and consists ofthe enlarged part R, extendingacross the full width of said opening, and inclined spout R, leading toone side. I also provide a straw-screen X, consisting of a plate X andteeth Y projecting therefrom, and this screen is pivoted upon the plateK by means of the pin or bolt Z, projecting through the plate X and theside panels 13. It will be seen that this device can be removed, ifdesired, by simply withdrawing the bolt Z.

The preferred construction of my device having been set forth, I willnow proceed to describe its operation. The grain is first introducedinto the hopper D and by means of the sliding cut-off plate E allowed tofall through upon the slanting buckets of the large wheel F. Thus theweight of the grain will revolve the wheel, and at the same time thegrain will be carried round the buckets and emptied through the openingQ upon the screen 7', and some of the dirt and other objectionablematter will be sifted through the latter, the grain passing down overthe slanting screen in front of the fan. Some of the grain is alsothrown against the opposite screen I, but this screen will also-conveyit to the opening Q. The dirt and dust sifting through these screensfalls into a box or drawer D, arranged beneath them to slide on a pairof strips or ways E, secured to the inside walls of the casing, and thisbox can thus be removed from time to time, when it becomes necessary, byopening the door 0 and sliding it out. It will be seen that as the largewheel revolves it will also carry with it the pulley T, and that throughthe medium of the belt S the small pulley U, and consequently the fan,will be rotated at a high rate of speed.

Hence as the grain flows over the plate K of the casing L and in frontof the fan the draft created by the latter will blow or carry off thechaff and other light matter descending with the grain, while the grainitself, being heavier, will continue on into the chute R and out throughthe slanting spout R ready for use in a clear and purified state. Thestraw and like matter will be caught in the screen X. Thus I produce asimple, economical, and purely automatic mill through which the graincan be passed and will itself act to revolve the rotary fan.

It is evident that my device might be changed in many slight ways whichmight suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic, and hence I do not limitmyself to the precise construction herein shown, but consider myselfentitled to all such slight variations as come within the spirit andscope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with a suitable hopper and bucket-wheel for conductingthe grain, of the inclined screens I J, the slide V in line with thescreen J, the blast-fan M N, the spout R, and the hinged fingers X,arranged above said spout to check the descending grain while beingsubjected to the blast, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. SCIILOSSER. \Vitnesses:

HENRY 0. Rose, L. L. OALLEN.

